Db. Wahl et Id. Gauld, THE CLADISTICS AND HIGHER CLASSIFICATION OF THE PIMPLIFORMES (HYMENOPTERA, ICHNEUMONIDAE), Systematic entomology, 23(3), 1998, pp. 265-298
The monophyly of the ichneumonid clade Pimpliformes is established and
the phylogenetic relationships of the eight component subfamilies are
resolved. The clade (Acaenitinae + (Diacritinae + (Cylloceriinae + (D
iplazontinae + Orthocentrinae)))) is the sister-lineage to the clade (
Pimplinae + (Rhyssinae + Poemeniinae)). The Nearctic genus Cressonia D
asch is transferred to the Diacritinae from the Orthocentrinae. Tribes
are not recognized in the Acaenitinae as the Coleocentrini (sensu Tow
nes, 1971) is paraphyletic with respect to the Acaenitini. The Cylloce
riinae is recognized as comprising three genera, Cylloceria Schiodte,
Allomacrus Forster and Sweaterella gen.n. The Orthocentrinae, includin
g the Helictinae of authors, is shown to be monophyletic, but the latt
er is clearly shown to be paraphyletic if the Orthocentrus genus-group
is excluded. The Pimplinae comprises four monophyletic tribes: the De
lomeristini, consisting of Delomerista Forster and Atractogaster Kriec
hbaumer; the Perithoini trib,n., which includes only Perithous Holmgre
n (= Hybomischos Baltazar syn.n.); the Pimplini, which includes the Th
eronia genus-group as well as the Pimpla genus-group; and the Ephialti
ni, which includes the Polysphinctini syn.n., a monophyletic group tha
t previously rendered the restricted Ephialtini paraphyletic. The trib
e Delomeristini is the sister-group to the clade (Ephialtini + (Perith
oini + Pimplini)). The subfamily Poemeniinae is recognized as comprisi
ng three tribes: the Pseudorhyssini (trib.n,) which includes the singl
e Holarctic genus Pseudorhyssa Merrill; the Rodrigamini (trib.n,) whic
h includes only the Costa Rican genus Rodrigama Gauld; and the Poemeni
ini, The tribe Pseudorhyssini is the sister-group to the clade (Rodrig
amini + Poemeniini). The phylogenetic interrelationships of the genera
of Poemeniini are resolved. A new genus from South Africa, Guptella (
gen.n.) is described, and Achorocephalus Kriechbaumer is shown to be a
synonym of Eugalta Cameron (syn.n.). The evolution of biological trai
ts within the Pimpliformes is discussed with reference to the elucidat
ed phylogeny, and zoogeographic patterns are outlined.